How To Install & Replace Bond-In Glass - Glass Act

1/11To remove the glass, we first took off the reveal moldings. The moldings are delicate, and we've seen a lot of them trashed by trying to remove them with screwdrivers or claw hammers. There are a few specialized tools available that make molding removal easy, the most common being the "arrow-style" hook (middle). We ran this tool under the molding at a 45-degree angle until a clip was contacted. Then, one of the pointed ends was hooked behind the clip, and the tool was rotated to release it. The scissors-style tool we used grips the clip from both sides and releases it without trauma. Sometimes the reveal molding is bonded by excess sealant, making removal difficult. To avoid destroying the molding, spray 3M release agent under the moldings to help loosen the sealant's grip.

Farly Mopars almost exclusively used a formed rubber gasket to seal in the front and rear glass. In 1970, Mopar musclecars with bond-in glass appeared with the debut of the E-Body platform. The following year, the redesigned B-Bodies got bonded-in glass, and this was to become the norm for autos manufactured to this day. While glass installation is catered to by the replacement industry, it isn't too difficult for the do-it-yourselfer to handle. We were freshening up our '71 Charger R/T, and one of the jobs on our list was to reinstall the rear glass. As is common with an older project car, there was more to the job than the slash-and-drop replacement, common to late-model commercial work. We were able to take our time to completely clean and refinish the rust-prone window channel, replace the damaged molding clips, and take care of the details in ways that aren't typically attended to in a standard on-the-clock replacement. Here's how it was done.